They're tied for the NBA's worst record with Phoenix after Thursday's 140-79 loss at Charlotte. Memphis experienced a 19-game losing skid in losing 22 of its last 23 games.

“You try to stay positive, proud and try to get better each game we play,” Green said during the skid after a 34-point loss March 10 at Dallas. “Just try to build and learn. Get the rooks (rookies), the young guys some playing time, you know. Get their feet wet.”

This all comes after the firing of David Fizdale, who was let go after the Grizzlies started 7-12 and had lost eight straight games.

Green came back on the tail end of that skid after missing 12 games with a severe ankle injury.

This isn’t what the Montgomery native and St. Jude graduate envisioned when signing a two-year, $16 million deal. The Grizzlies are going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2009-10.

It wasn’t too long ago Memphis reached the 2013 Western Conference finals before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in four games.

Now they’re loading up on ping-pong balls for the NBA draft lottery.

Since Memphis has built a reputation for playing hard with that “Grit and Grind” motto, the franchise isn’t completely viewed as one that’s tanking the season. Losing Mike Conley to a heel injury in January that led to season-ending surgery was the final straw that broke the Grizzlies’ season.

However, the losses are coming at time when the NBA is taking issue with tanking seasons. The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 in February for admitting his was folding up shop.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver sent a memo to all 30 teams about protecting “the integrity” of the game.

“With everything else changing around us, it is the one thing in our league that can never change,” Silver wrote. “We must do everything in our power to protect the actual and perceived integrity of the game.”

Individually, Green is having his best NBA season. He’s averaging 10.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and has 14 double-doubles, all career highs, but the Grizzlies are having their worst season ever in Memphis.

After Thursday's meltdown at Charlotte, Memphis has 10 games left. Yep, the season can’t end soon enough Green and the Grizzlies.

Memphis Grizzlies forward JaMychal Green (0) and center Marc Gasol (33) react during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)(Photo: Brandon Dill, AP)